Introduction.
Although the spring water is covered with ancient yellow sand, the moon still shines as brightly in the water as the sun and moon in the sky.
Dunhuang City is known as the "sandbar", in which there is a precious spring known as the "Desert Pearl", its form resembles the bright moon in the sky, surrounded by sand dunes, has become the most magical landscape in the desert, that is, the famous "Crescent Spring".
It is known as the "first spring in the desert" because even though it is only 5 meters deep, it can last for thousands of years.
So the question is, although the crescent moon spring is only 5 meters deep, why can it not dry up for thousands of years?Since it is located deep in the desert, where does its spring come from?
In recent years, the crescent spring, known as "not dry for a thousand years", is also facing the danger of disappearing. It is said that in order to protect the spring water of less than 1 hectare, Gansu Province has not only invested 4.7 billion yuan, but also provided "artificial water" to it for more than ten consecutive years.
This practice has sparked controversy among many netizens, many of whom believe that it is not worth spending 47 billion for a small pond in the desert. Wouldn't it be more meaningful if this huge amount of money was used to improve people's livelihood?
1. The "Crescent Spring" will not dry up for thousands of years.
When it comes to Dunhuang, the first thing that may come to mind is a tourist city, in addition to the famous Mogao Grottoes, there is also the crescent spring on Mingsha Mountain.
As one of the eight major local scenic spots, the Crescent Moon Spring is known as the "Pearl of the Desert", attracting countless tourists every year, like a tall leek that has been cut countless times.
Despite the rave reviews on the Internet, there are also some controversial voices mixed in - "Is the ** of water natural or artificial?".”
To understand how this unique natural landscape came into being, you have to go back thousands of years.
Thousands of years ago, the Crescent Spring was the ancient channel of the Dang River, but later due to the diversion of the river, most of the ancient river channel was swallowed by the ruthless desert, making the Crescent Spring a very special natural geology.
In this area, because of the special topography, the crescent spring has been preserved.
The river water seeps into the soil after being swallowed, causing the groundwater to increase. As the place is surrounded by two high mountains, the low-lying terrain eventually forms a smaller lake. Because its shape resembles a crescent moon, it was given the name "Crescent Spring" during the Qing Dynasty.
In the 50s, this lake was once very abundant and was a precious treasure in the Dunhuang Desert. At that time, the lake was 9 meters deep, 218 meters long, and 54 meters wide.
Thanks to its advantageous geographical location and continuous groundwater recharge, this area has become a desert miracle of "sand and water symbiosis, and it will not dry for thousands of years". In this natural environment, the flora and fauna living here also obtain good growing conditions.
The crescent moon spring is naturally formed, and the water is inhabited by a variety of fish, such as carp, crucian carp, silver carp, etc., which are rare aquatic creatures in the desert;In addition, there are many plants that surround the Crescent Spring, and many species of plants form an oasis in the desert here.
This natural spring also attracts swans, egrets and other migratory birds. As a result, it has become a popular tourist destination ever since.
The lake is about to dry up, and it has maintained a thousand years of water volume.
Crescent Spring is no longer an ordinary natural landscape, it has become a place with a thousand-year-old history and a long history and culture.
As a symbol of the cultural inheritance of the Chinese nation, it records the prosperity and decline of Dunhuang culture. Its close geographical connection to the Mogao Grottoes makes it an indispensable part of Dunhuang culture.
Despite its fame, the 735 grottoes and 492 painted murals it preserves have been handed down for thousands of years, making it the largest Buddhist temple in the world.
However, the crescent moon spring also carries the emotional expression of many literati and ink writers. In this place of inspiration, countless fairy verses and beautiful stories were born.
The clear water ripples and beckons visitors to dream of the wonders of the Plug.
It's a shame that the beautiful scenery is coming to an unfortunate end. Over the years, the surrounding residents have reclaimed and exploited groundwater resources without control, resulting in a serious loss of water resources in this desert area, and the water level of the river has continued to drop, even endangering the only spring in the desert, the crescent spring.
In 1985, Crescent Spring suffered an unprecedented crisis, with a depth of less than 80 centimeters, even a small boat could not float on the water, and relying on natural water supply was almost an impossible task.
The area that once occupied more than 20 acres has shrunk to only 69 acres!The crescent moon spring, which was once an untouchable spectacle, is now not only about to dry up, but also no longer in the shape of the crescent moon it used to be.
* The relevant departments finally couldn't sit still, watching that the Crescent Moon Spring was about to embark on the pace of "Loulan No. 2".
* A whopping 4.7 billion RMB has been raised to save this thousand-year-old natural landscape. Do you think it's worth it?
Is the 4.7 billion worth the money?
In order to recreate the magnificent landscape of the crescent spring as soon as possible, Gansu decided to put the "4.7 billion" rescue plan on the agenda and quickly submitted it for approval. It was officially approved on June 12, 2011, with a total investment of 472.2 billion yuan.
Delivering water to the crescent spring is one of the most important projects!In the past year, the total amount of water transported to the Dang River has reached 1200 million cubic meters, including 40 million cubic meters of water specially transported for the crescent spring.
In order to ensure that it does not dry up under normal evaporation conditions, and to ensure that the current depth of the spring water is maintained at about 5 meters.
Such a huge project is such a luxury!
Since the launch of the $4.7 billion lake recharge project, many netizens have thought that "investing such a huge amount of manpower and financial resources to restore a lake is a bit too much!".Some people even said, "There is no need, this money can be used on the common people and benefit them." ”
Many netizens hold the opposite opinion, they believe that as a natural landscape with a thousand-year-old history, the crescent spring should not be left to be lost, and we have a responsibility to protect it.
From the perspective of Dunhuang's development, the "restoration of the crescent spring" plays a very important role in both the cultural and economic fields.
Due to its unique natural landscape, it attracts many tourists from all over the country and has become one of the perfect representatives of the city.
As a rare tourist attraction, Crescent Spring has played an important role in Dunhuang's tourism industry. Its unique geography and beautiful natural landscapes attract countless tourists to come and see it, bringing a booming economy to the city.
Netizens who spent 4.7 billion yuan on repairing the spring water complained about the grievances, but they can seriously think about it, and in the case of multiple trade-offs, this is actually a "transaction" with very little risk and no loss.
During the May Day holiday in 2021 alone, more than 1 million tourists have been received here, and the revenue from tourism alone has reached nearly 900 million yuan.
If the situation continues to develop like this, the cost of repairs will be recovered in less than five years.
This initiative not only aims to preserve the heritage of history and culture, but also lays a solid foundation for future development.
Epilogue. Crescent Spring is still one of the top 10 most popular tourist attractions in Gansu!It is not only a scenic spot, but also a treasure trove of rich history and culture, and an important engine for local economic development.
Whatever method is used to fill the crescent spring with water, the aim is to preserve this natural wonder forever.
Do you think it's worth spending 4.7 billion to restore the Crescent Spring?Let me know what you think in the comments section.